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As urbanization progresses at a remarkable pace, policy makers and
analysts come to understand and agree on key features that will
make this process more efficient and inclusive, leading to gains in
the welfare of citizens. Drawing on insights from economic
geography and two centuries of experience in developed countries,
the World Bank's World Development Report 2009: Reshaping Economic
Geography emphasizes key aspects that are fundamental to ensuring
an efficient rural-urban transformation. Critical among these are
land, as the most important resource, and well-functioning land
markets. Regardless of the stage of urbanization, flexible and
forward-looking institu- ons that help the efficient functioning of
land markets are the bedrock of succe- ful urbanization strategies.
In particular, institutional arrangements for allocating land
rights and for managing and regulating land use have significant
implica- ons for how cities deliver agglomeration economies and
improve the welfare of their residents. Property rights,
well-functioning land markets, and the management and servicing of
land required to accommodate urban expansion and provide trunk
infrastructure are all topics that arise as regions progress from
incipient urbani- tion to medium and high density.
As urbanization progresses at a remarkable pace, policy makers and
analysts come to understand and agree on key features that will
make this process more efficient and inclusive, leading to gains in
the welfare of citizens. Drawing on insights from economic
geography and two centuries of experience in developed countries,
the World Bank's World Development Report 2009: Reshaping Economic
Geography emphasizes key aspects that are fundamental to ensuring
an efficient rural-urban transformation. Critical among these are
land, as the most important resource, and well-functioning land
markets. Regardless of the stage of urbanization, flexible and
forward-looking institu- ons that help the efficient functioning of
land markets are the bedrock of succe- ful urbanization strategies.
In particular, institutional arrangements for allocating land
rights and for managing and regulating land use have significant
implica- ons for how cities deliver agglomeration economies and
improve the welfare of their residents. Property rights,
well-functioning land markets, and the management and servicing of
land required to accommodate urban expansion and provide trunk
infrastructure are all topics that arise as regions progress from
incipient urbani- tion to medium and high density.
This volume comprises a collection of papers prepared and presented
at the World Bank's Fifth Urban Research Symposium, as part of the
World Bank Group's strategy to share and encourage research
oriented to urban issues and bridge these academic results with the
pressing needs of developing cities. The selected papers included
in this book combine robust analytical pieces and theoretical
insights with best practices from around the world. Specific case
studies include New Orleans in the context of a fragile
environment, a framework to include poverty aspects in the cities
and climate change discussion, a contribution to measure the impact
of cities and their GHG emissions. Cities and Climate Change is the
first title in the World Bank's new Urban Development Series.The
Series discusses the challenge of urbanization and what it will
mean for developing countries in the decades ahead, and aims to
delve more substantively into the core issues framed by the World
Bank's 2009 Urban Strategy, Systems of Cities: Harnessing
Urbanization for Growth and Poverty Alleviation.
'Connecting Cities with Macro-economic Concerns' examines the
influence of local public services on the economics of cities. The
relationship between economic development and urbanization is
indisputable; less clear, however, are the ways in which cities
directly contribute to economic growth and employment creation.
Current economic thinking holds that the ability of cities to
create wealth depends on 'agglomeration economies.' This refers to
the geographic concentration of industries and people which enables
economic actors to come together, interact, and become productive.
However, this ability to promote productive interaction depends on
several factors, one of which is the provision of local public
services. The book argues that the quality of local services
significantly influences the productivity of a city, and of its
business firms. Inferior local services increase the cost of
interaction, erode the effects of agglomeration, and diminish
wealth-creation potential. This study attempts to assess the costs
of inferior local public services to firms. Based on surveys
conducted in five cities - Belo Horizonte (Brazil), Montreal
(Canada), Puebla (Mexico), San Jose (Costa Rica), and San Salvador
(El Salvador) - it examines the complex issues surrounding local
service provision, and illustrates how inferior local services
affect firms and, in turn, the ability of firms to contribute to
wealth.
This volume examines wide-ranging issues confronting cites, and
reviews tools, strategies and practices to address them. It
examines nine 'windows' of urban management in the context of the
new urban strategy of the World Bank. The book recognizes that
cities are crucial in efforts to address poverty and development
issues. It combines theoretical discussions of new, fundamental
principles of urban management with practical discussions that show
how concepts are translated into policy tools and strategies.
Chapter 1 discusses the forces of globalization and how these
affect cities in general and metropolitan management and governance
in particular. Chapter 2 introduces the elements of strategic
planning and evaluates successful experiences in city strategy and
governance. In light of decentralization, chapter 3 analyzes
subnational financial management, particularly its technical,
participatory, and political aspects. Chapter 4 deals with revenue
raising issues and approaches. Chapter 5 considers private sector
involvement in provision of public services, using case studies of
public-private partnerships. Chapter 6 discusses the role of land
and real estate markets in urban development, and explains why and
how local governments should intervene in their operations. Urban
poverty is the focus of chapter 7, with examples of how it is
addressed. Chapter 8 analyzes problems of the urban environment and
preconditions for successful environmental management, with
specific urban cases. Chapter 9 examines the relationship between
transportation and metropolitan growth, and how to deal with urban
transport problems.
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